William p



@uiten gisten gatent @fitta Leiters Patent No. 74,117, dated February 4, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT 1N CARRIAGE-WHEELS itl-1e Stunde referat tu in there Enters ndert mit lurking pnt nt the sans.

TO ALL WIIOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FJMQRTON, of the city and county of New Haven, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Carriage-Wheels, as an improvement on my patent dated May 28, 1867; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction, character, and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the double band or collar, with the connecting-bars which hold the two parts together, as ready for use.

Figures 2, 3, and 4 are cross-sections of the double band or collar, when the outside surface is made of different shapes.

My improvement on my former patent consists in making the band or collar of less dimensions in its outer diameter, and of different shape in the cross-section, and designed to have but two spokes 'inserted between each two of the bars; and the annular disk or. web being narrower, it does not extend so far on to the spokes, thus presenting 'a smaller circle, so that I can use fewer spokes, and yet form the apparently solidrnass of wood at the outer verge of the double collar, whereby I can make a stronger, as well as a cheaper, lighter, and neater wheel than in theother way. A

I make the double band or collar, A A, &c., of malleable cast iron, or any other suitable material, by casting it in one piece with the connecting-bars a a, dto., substantially as shown in fig. 1, (in which particular it is like the patent issued to me, May 28, 1857,) so that I can drive it on to the wooden hub of the wheel to itsV propel' position, and drive in the spokes between the conneeting-bars a a, &e., and into the mortises inthe hub, so that the double band or collar will equally bind the wooden hub and the inner ends of the spokes, while-the inner ends of the spokes, by passing between the bars a a, rc., and their tenons entering the mortises in the wooden hub, will hold the double band or collar A A, die., irmlyin its proper place, and make the whole as ene xed and solid mass, each part binding the other; in this particular it much resembling my former patent, before.' mentioned. i

But in the present case I do not make the double band or collar in the form of two collars to bindthe hub, and two i'langes to support the spokes, but I make each ofthe collars of a general mass in its cross-section, that is, a complete right-angled triangle, as represented in fig/1, or by leaving a small bead or projection at each acute angle, as represented in fig. 2, or with a curved instead of a right-lined hypothenusc, as represented at a, tig. 3, having one of the sides or legs which contains the right angle, as t, press upon thehub, as indicated in g. 1, and the'other leg, as e, sustain the spokes, while the side d, which subtends the right angle, may be like iig. Q, 3, or 4, or it maybe cast or turned in any other suitable' form of ornamental surface, but retaining the strength. v l p By casting the article in either of these forms in the cross-section, gives it much greater strength, so that it is not necessary to make the vertical surface c to sustain the spokes, and consequently the connecting-bars, near so wide, so that :it will not extend near so far upon thespokes, and for that reason the outer point of the' junetionof the spokes may be nearer the wooden hub, and therefore in a smaller circle, so that fourteen spokes. may serve instead of eighteen, thus saving four spokes in a wheel, or sixteen in a set, so that I not only use lessiron for the double collar, but also less spokes, and thereby leaving the wooden hub much strongeigwhile the spokes will be better supported, as I use seven connecting-bars, and only place two spokes between each two bars. In this form I can make a. cheaper, stronger, and lighter wheel, with a neater finish. i

Icast the connecting-bars a a, die., iig. 1, of a triangular or wedge-shape in the cross-section, with the point of the wedge, or least angle ofthe triangle, outward, so that the spokes will pass in more eadily, and yet join each other at the outer verge of the collar, so as'to form, in appearance, one mass .of wood at that circle.

I find that when I make the double collar in the form above described, the vertical side, C,'which supports u the spokes, need only befrom three to five-tenths of an inch in elevation for wheels for light carriages.

Having made the double collar A A, lite., with the connectinghbars a a, &c., and mortsed the wooden hub, as before described, I drive the double collar on to, the hub to the proper position, and" drive in two spokes ,b etween e'aoh two of th.connecting-borsa at, Sie., when that 'part of the wheel will be complete, and ready to -J-receive the felices.

For a. vi'y largowlieil, it` may be ndvsble to us eight bars and sixteen spoks, and for very small wheels,

, six bzrs'ztnd twelve spokes 111:5,y`be7`srurfiicio'nt, but for 'common-sized wheels I recommend seven connecting-bars and. fourteen spokes, so shaped rand fitted that nothing will be seen above tho verge ofthe double collar but the' mnssof Wood formedv by the junction ofthev spolies, Whn the wheel is finished and fitted for use.

' What I claim as my invention, anddesiroftoV secure by Letters Patent, is-

` The hub, cast in one Vpiece with the collrs A A and connecting-bars a a, when constructed in the shape and proportions as described.

WM. F. MORTON.

r Witnesses: f

E. W. BALDWIN, R. FITZGERALD. 

